Rocky Mountain Arsenal Refuge-cutsheet

Encompassing 27 square miles and more
than 330 species of wildlife, the Rocky
Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
is just 10 miles northeast of Denver. The site
has a remarkable history: it served as hunt-ing
grounds for Native Americans, was
farmed by homesteaders, used for chemical
weapons production during WWII, and
hosted pesticide production until 1982.
Despite contamination in the core area, the
relatively undisturbed buffer zone around it
has provided abundant wildlife habitat.
Design Workshop was hired by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to
develop the refuge’s comprehensive management plan, which pro-tects
wildlife and provides environmental education opportunities
during cleanup and beyond. The biggest challenge was to provide
maximum public use opportunities that are compatible with
wildlife habitat conservation and enhancement needs. Solutions
include limiting movement through the refuge to pedestrian, tram
and bicycle use, and using areas where prairie restoration work is
underway for environmental education purposes. ◆
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
Metropolitan Denver, Colorado
DESIGNWORKSHOP
ROCKY D VER A EW R EFU D ISCO V ER A N EW R EFu G E
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ARSENAL
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

Encompassing 27 square miles and more
than 330 species of wildlife, the Rocky
Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
is just 10 miles northeast of Denver. The site
has a remarkable history: it served as hunt-ing
grounds for Native Americans, was
farmed by homesteaders, used for chemical
weapons production during WWII, and
hosted pesticide production until 1982.
Despite contamination in the core area, the
relatively undisturbed buffer zone around it
has provided abundant wildlife habitat.
Design Workshop was hired by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to
develop the refuge’s comprehensive management plan, which pro-tects
wildlife and provides environmental education opportunities
during cleanup and beyond. The biggest challenge was to provide
maximum public use opportunities that are compatible with
wildlife habitat conservation and enhancement needs. Solutions
include limiting movement through the refuge to pedestrian, tram
and bicycle use, and using areas where prairie restoration work is
underway for environmental education purposes. ◆
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
Metropolitan Denver, Colorado
DESIGNWORKSHOP
ROCKY D VER A EW R EFU D ISCO V ER A N EW R EFu G E
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ARSENAL
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE